Election 2016: Poplar Grover residents asked to pay more taxes for ambulance services

 

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• Election 2016: Poplar Grover residents asked to pay more taxes for ambulance services

 

• By Susan Vela
  Staff writer

• Posted Mar. 9, 2016 at 8:27 PM
  Updated at 11:20 PM

  POPLAR GROVE — Community members gathered at Village Hall this evening to learn more about a proposed 0.05 percent property tax increase that would finance ambulance services for the North Boone Fire Protection District.

  The district works to protect about 13,500 people in Poplar Grove, Manchester and Caledonia townships. If voters approve the tax, the district would purchase a second — and perhaps a third — ambulance, and it would have legal status needed for the Boone County 9-1-1 Center to start dispatching its ambulance crews for patient care.

  The district’s ambulance crews can only treat firefighters, and it's a rare occasion that they’re injured. At least half of the 150 annual runs for the district’s volunteer firefighters involve injured patients, but they cannot treat them. Capron Rescue Squad's ambulance crews handle injuries.

  "The money is not the issue," Heath Morrall, secretary of the district’s board of trustees, told a crowd of about 60. "It's the legal issue."

  If approved, owners of $100,000 home would pay approximately $16.67 a year in additional property taxes to generate $100,000 a year for ambulance services. The district budgets about $700,000 a year for fire protection services.

  North Boone officials will host another session at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Candlewick Lake Recreation Center, 1812 Candlewick Drive.

  Gordon Adams has protested getting “double taxed” for the same services.

  Morrall responded tonight that the district and its members would have about a year to remove the Capron tax. But first, voters have to approve North Boone’s ambulance tax.

  “It’s about the services, not about the money,” said Nancy Jackie Hoffman, a Poplar Grove resident. “It’s well worth it.”

  She needed ambulance service about two years ago for her mother. Capron’s ambulances took about 20 minutes, more than double the time she considered necessary.

  Of 62 calls last month, North Boone Captain Tim Davis said the district's ambulance was closer to the incident than Capron’s three ambulances, which are based out of Capron, Poplar Grove and Candlewick Lake.

  “That tells you right there,” he said.

  Capron has sued North Boone, asking a 17th Judicial Circuit Court judge to remove the tax question from the ballot. While that request failed, the complaint also asked the judge to prohibit North Boone from providing ambulance service. A hearing is set for April 22.

  “We feel that they didn’t follow proper procedures according to the state statute,” said Owen Costanza, who sits on Capron Rescue Squad and Boone County 9-1-1 Center boards. “They want the entire district back. That’s pretty clear.”

• Above is from: http://www.rrstar.com/news/20160309/election-2016-poplar-grover-residents-asked-to-pay-more-taxes-for-ambulance-services/?Start=2